Backpack or drawstring bag?

[valpss]

We are going back this summer and I am FINALLY not having to take baby supplies! WooHoo!!! So I am looking for a new bag to carry into the parks to carry our basic supplies.

I know everyone will have opinions on what kind of bag is better...but I would like to hear everyone's pro's & con's though on their choice. Maybe there's something I haven't thought of.

Thanks!

 

[martinolichfamily]

We still have to take baby supplies....I leave those in the diaper bag under stroller and use a backpack for other items. We just grab to backpack when we go in and leave the stroller outside.

 

[Prose]

We haven't done a backpack, but have carried a cross-body Baggalini about the size of a small backpack. It was ok. On the one hand, it had lots of pockets to store stuff. On the other hand, you had to root through all the pockets to find stuff. Plus it was a little heavier to begin with.

This last trip, I thought I had packed a small bag but forgot. We bought a cute drawstring bag at the POR gift shop and carried it around, and we much preferred it over the Baggalini. It was lighter weight and everything was all in one place. It was also easier to take off and put on for the rides.

I will say that we don't carry much stuff - a cell phone, a map, a small travel wallet for me a DH's wallet and a camera.

 

[goofyboutmickey]

I have started using a drawstring bag for my trips to WDW.

I like it bc it's just about the right size to carry my pins for pin trading, a poncho, and other supplies for the day. It also keeps me from overfilling it with "stuff" like I did with my backpack.

It's easy to put on a take off when I go through security and there aren't many compartments for them to look through (basically one extra pocket). I also take it off to ride the rides and it fits it the mesh pockets of the rides or I can put my leg through the string to keep it from flying out.

 

[motherof2boys]

We go to Disney over the Summer so I tend to wear spaghetti strap sundresses. I found the drawstrings cut into my shoulders. But that maybe just me. I used a small Mickey patchwork print backpack I bought in one of the gift shops & it was fine. I've also used a crossbody bag that I loved as well.

 

[msmama]

We still have a stroller so we do both - the extra change of clothes and diapers (although not anymore), water, anything not super important, goes in a drawstring bag at the bottom of the stroller.

Otherwise, a backpack. Dh (now Ex) doesn't like anything too girly, so we went with a "real" school backpack which I don't think was necessary but at least I get to share the load that way.

I agree with a PP that the drawstring gets uncomfortable after awhile (in the summer especially) - also it grosses me out if I get sweaty and the drawstrings are basically in my armpits. Gross, I know. But, other bags don't have that problem.

 

[MSSANDRA]

We have used a very small and light weight draw string bag and have used a very small cross body bag. We carry VERY little and if were not for DS food allergies we would not carry a bag. We carry phones, ticket cards, a little cash, a VERY small camera and then epi pens, benedryl, and a sweet treat in case DS can have no desserts at the restaurants. Both work fine.Sometimes if we are pretty sure we will not need the food item, DH will carry everything in his cargo pockets and we carry no bags at all. We love this. Youngest DS is 6

 

[ANGDVC]

I never go with a bag unless it have a zipper. Between being shoved under strollers or in rides, it always gets turned over. I would have to lose something.

 

[growinupdisney]

OP it depends on what you plan on taking in the park.....

We go in the early spring and it is chilly in the am and at night so we carry light weight jackets that can go in back pack if needed, also camera and a few small snacks, small baggie with meds, inhaler, bandaids

I have a dd5 and I always bring wipes (sticky hands) and possibly a long pair of pants (leggings) if it gets cooler plus they dont take up much room in bag. This all goes in a string backpack that stays in bottom of stroller

My ds15 carrys a string backpack that he puts his stuff in...cell, snack,ipod and wallet ( and any purchases he makes goes in there) he use to keep wallet and cell in his shorts but he lost both doing this cuz they fell out of his pocket

 

[cjnix29]

I love taking a cross body purse....I use a vera bradley or a thirty one. I don't like backpacks because if I need something quick, like chapstick or something, I hate having to take my backpack off, etc. I still have access, but can go hands free. Drawstring bags mean you have to take it off your shoulders to get in it, and that to me is a pain. But things work differently for different people. Go out shopping for a day with a drawstring bag and see if you like it. Try out a backpack for a day out too. Maybe that will give you an idea of what you will like best.

 

[MickeyHereWeCome!]

We went last summer. It was our first trip without a stroller.

We have four kids, and didn't want to end up carrying everything. We bought cinch backpacks for five of us. Dh insisted on sticking with his fanny pack.

The cinch bags worked out very well. We didn't carry too much, but each of us could bring a water bottle, snack, ziploc bag for keeping phones dry on Splash, etc,. Not one of our kids complained. Dh actually bought his own Mickey cinch bag and ditched his fanny pack. They weren't heavy at all.

I hate to carry a lot anyway, and these worked out perfectly.

 

[Timandalicia]

We are going back this summer and I am FINALLY not having to take baby supplies! WooHoo!!! So I am looking for a new bag to carry into the parks to carry our basic supplies.

I know everyone will have opinions on what kind of bag is better...but I would like to hear everyone's pro's & con's though on their choice. Maybe there's something I haven't thought of.

Thanks!

Backpack definitely. Lightweight one. If dad is going to carry it, let him keep his dignity. Also, supplies will still be more than it seems like you think. We haven't lightened up too much since our baby days. Now it's autograph books, iPods, more snacks, etc.

 

[valpss]

Thank you for all the responses!

We will have a 5 & 3 year old at the time of our trip.

I'm thinking that I might actually take 2 different bags. One that can stay under the stroller with things like warmer clothes, their light up toys for the parade, and rain ponchos, etc. Stuff that we won't need every second, and if it gets stollen won't be a major loss. Then I will take a smaller bag to carry wallet, camera, sunscreen, autograph books.... things that we will need access to more often. And that I can easily carry onto rides.

We will still be renting a double stroller (despite what DH thinks) so at least for this trip I will have a place to put everything and not have to carry it ALL yet. The problem will be in a few years when we don't need a stroller anymore! At that point DH will have to deal with carrying a backpack at least some of the time!

 

[auprincess]

Like others said, it depends what you are taking. Specifically, how heavy the stuff is. If you have a decent amount of stuff in a drawstring bag, the strings can really start cutting into your shoulders and hurting.

 

[richkaryn]

On our last trip we were only partially potty trained so I still had to take a couple pull ups and wipes. I also took extra sunscreen, etc. I got one of those drawstring "backsacks" from Walmart for $5 and it was green but kind of like a mesh (with "holes" slightly smaller than a pencil eraser) so it was partially see-through. I got compliments on such a security-friendly bag from almost every bag-check person I encountered that week. It was just the right size for what I needed to carry, was light weight, and made security checks a breeze.